Old Roads of Dublin
Creating surfaces for travel in the old days was no small task.
By Felicity Pool
There was a time when New England had no roads, and none existed south of us either. One tale has it that before European settlers arrived with their axes, a squirrel could travel through the treetops from Maine to Georgia without setting paw on ground. Trees and more trees made a dense canopy with rocks and swamps underneath.
Over three hundred-plus years, things changed considerably to where New England today has, according to the Federal Highway Administration, close to a quarter of a million miles of road. At least 33,000 miles are in New Hampshire. Often what began as a game trail became a pathway for Indian travelers and then for Europeans when they arrived. It was these latter folks, the settlers, who eventually took up axes to fell trees.
The process was laborious. Chopping was done as close to the ground as possible. From there the early road builders had choices: burn the stumps in place; wrench them out with chains and oxen; or leave in place and build over the top.
On Dublin’s 42 miles of roadway, we’re living with the remains of all three systems. When stumps and branches were burned, the ashes were spread as fertilizer on new fields. Where the pry-out method was used, residual sinkholes still exist. As for leaving the stumps in place, Road Agent Brian Barden has found them here and there – most notably, one in the middle of Windmill Hill Road and another under the sidewalk along Route 101.
The general process of laying out the earliest roads involved the use of a surveying tool, Gunter’s chain, made of 100 wire links and stretching sixty-six feet. Eighty chains was more or less a mile. The idea, of course, was to find the flattest way with the least obstructions. It is partly for this reason that so many roads run along rivers or lakeshores.
Using compass and chain, surveyors marked a route with bark blazes to guide those who would chop trees and remove as many rocks as possible with pry bars and ox teams. As with stumps too large to take out, some of the biggest rocks were left in place (discoverable by modern graders and plows) and soil was piled around to even out a surface for travel.
Muddy areas were especially challenging before the technology of pavement was developed. One technique was to make ‘corduroy roads’ – placing logs horizontally across the surface to be traveled. While slippery for horses and immensely bumpy for carriages, travelers could at least cross a marsh without sinking. Today a person who digs down on MacVeagh Road can find corduroy construction underneath.
Excavate elsewhere in town, and you could find wooden conduits with first-generation phone wires and water pipes (Church Street) or a bridge from decades ago (Cobb Meadow Road) built over at least twice. The Dublin road crew even found, in one of the old wood conduits, a wet suit, not even rotted.
The first roadway through town from east to west, called somewhat grandly The Great Road, had been hacked out by 1762. It was also called County Road, and connected Peterborough, Dublin (running along the south side of the Lake), and Marlborough’s then town center at Frost Hill. Although rough and hilly, the roadway had enough travelers to support a tavern in the 1760s at what is now the Spencer house at the southwest corner of the Lake.
Felicity Pool is a member of the Dublin Historical Society.
Daylight Saving Time Ends November 6
Gain more light in the morning. Fall back on November 6 —
turn back your clocks 1 hour when you go to bed Saturday night.
(Also a good time to replace all the batteries in
your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.)
Dublin Public Library
Story Time: There are five Wednesdays in November. Consider bringing your child to one or all five of The Dublin Public Library’s Story Time programs. We begin each week with a song and movement. We discuss the books that we have read and then offer a craft that ties the two together. During the month, we will learn about geese flying south as well as bats and what it means to be nocturnal. The children will make their own instruments and practice some favorite songs. Thanksgiving stories and crafts will be offered on the 23rd. Stuffed bears of all kinds will visit the library for our annual tea party on the 30th. Maybe your child has a friend who would like to join them…stuffed or otherwise. Some books we will be reading are Sleep Tight Farm by Eugenie Doyle and A Farmyard Song by Christopher Manson. Programs begin at 9:30 am and will be offered on November 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30.
Books
Rushing Waters by D. Steel
This is Your Brain on Sports by L Wertheim and S. Sommers
The Underground Railroad by C. Whitehead
Commonwealth by A. Patchett
Here I Am by J. Foer
Between Breaths by E. Vargas
Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton
A Truck Full of Money by T. Kidder
FDPL Open Forum
The Friends of the Dublin Public Library is holding a special open forum on Saturday, November 5, from 10 am to noon. The discussion will focus on FDPL’s mission to support the library – how we’re doing and what we can do better. The meeting will also serve as a Q&A for potential board members and volunteers, which are greatly needed.
We’ll hope you’ll join us for coffee and pastries and a great discussion. The FDPL meets once a month to discuss events and needs for the library. We’re a fun bunch and serve a very important function in helping our library remain a vibrant, important part of the Dublin community.
Bonnie Harris Will Speak: Please join the Friends of the Dublin Public Library on Wednesday, November 30, from 6 to 8 pm at the Dublin Public Library, when we will welcome local author and Monadnock Ledger–Transcript family columnist Bonnie Harris. Bonnie’s discussion will be “When Your Kids Push Your Buttons,” a fun, interesting session for all parents.
News from The River Center
By Margaret Nelson
We are pleased to announce that Bonnie Harris, M.S. Ed., has been awarded the 2016 Family Support New Hampshire Kay Sidway Award. This award recognizes a professional working in the field of family support who embodies the skills and values of Kay Sidway, an early champion in New Hampshire of parent leadership, family resource centers, and the importance of early childhood. Bonnie founded the Parent Guidance Center in 1990 to provide parent education and support. Throughout the history of what is now known as The River Center, she has been involved as founder, director, board member and now consulting parent educator. Bonnie is an international speaker, workshop leader, counselor, blogger and author. Her books include When Your Kids Push Your Buttons; Confident Parents, Remarkable Kids; and The Effective Parenting Workshop.
Bonnie is leading a group for parents of Teens and Tweens at The River Center on Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11:30. On Wednesday mornings, parents of 0-5 year olds can join parent educator Wendy Hill. Join Dan Hebert of NH Jump Start! on November 29 from 6:30 to 8 pm as he relays tools for parents to teach their children about money. To register, call 924-6800.
Margaret Nelson, who lives in Dublin, is Executive Director of the River Center. She can be reached at mnelson@nullrivercenter.us.
The 2016 General Election: Vote November 8
By Jeannine Dunne
It will soon be time for New Hampshire residents to cast our votes for a new President and Vice-President of the United States, Governor, United States Senator, United States Representative, Executive Councilor, State Senator, State Representatives and County Officers.
The General Election will be held on November 8 and Dublin residents will be voting on the top floor of the Dublin Town Hall. Polls open at 8 am and close at 7 pm. Please remember to bring your photo identification with you. If you have not yet registered to vote, you can do so at the polls on Election Day. Handicap access is through the back entrance of the building.
If you will not be able to get to the polling place on voting day, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. Ballots are available now at the Town Clerk’s office.
There are now three ways that you can return your completed absentee ballot:
- Postal Service or recognized courier service (must be received at the Town Clerk’s office by Election Day).
- Hand deliver in person by the voter to the Town Clerk or Deputy Town Clerk only (must be returned by 5 pm the day before the election) or
- Hand deliver in person by a parent, sibling, spouse, or child of the voter. That person will need to hand the ballot to the Town Clerk or Deputy Town Clerk, show a photo ID, and fill out a form before the absentee ballot can be accepted (must be returned by 5 pm on Election Day).
To track your ballot, you can go to http://app.sos.nh.gov and do an Absentee Ballot Search.
If you have any questions about this or anything else having to do with upcoming elections, please call the Town Clerk’s office at 563-8859. See you at the polls!
Jeannine Dunne is Dublin’s Town Clerk/Tax Collector. She can be reached at P.O. Box 62, Dublin, NH 03444; or call (603) 563-8859; fax (603) 563-9221.
BudCom Meetings Under Way
Preparation for Town Meeting in March starts early.
By Charlie Champagne
The Budget Committee has begun its annual budgeting process by scheduling meetings with department heads and selected committee chairs to review their budgets and answer any questions BudCom may have.
The committee meets on most Tuesday evenings at 7 pm in the Town Hall. All meetings are posted at the Town Hall, the Post Office, and the Town of Dublin website. The public is invited to all meetings. The weekly meeting minutes are also posted on the town website, www.townofdublin.org.
Department heads and committee chairs prepare their budgets first for the Selectmen who review and comment before presentations are made to BudCom. Those meetings are on Mondays at 4 pm and are also open to the public.
Charlie Champagne is Chair of the Budget Committee. Other members include Richard Scheinblum, Judy Knapp, Steve Baldwin, Bill Gurney, and Dale Gabel. Paul Delphia is the Selectmen’s Representative.
Two Town Appointments Made
By Sherry Miller
The Board of Selectmen is happy to announce the appointment of Jeremy Jeffers as our new Police Sergeant. Jeremy was sworn in on Tuesday, October 18, and began work that day.
The Board will have a brief badge-pinning ceremony on November 7 at 4:30 pm at Town Hall.
We have also hired Janice Pack to fill the position of Assistant to the Town Administrator. Janice started Monday, October 17.
Sherry Miller is Town Administrator for Dublin.
News from DCS
By Nicole Pease
I never realized how busy October was at Dublin Consolidated School until I stopped to write about all that has happened. On October 14 we had our annual apple-picking field trip; this year it was to Alyson’s Orchard in Walpole. The trip was filled with fun as we were able to have a wagon ride, as well as pick apples!
The Harvest Supper was held on October 21 and was well attended. It is so special to be able to make soup from the gardens to be served on this night. Much of the squash used is featured in the photo. We also participated in the fall walk-to-school day in late October and of course rounded out the month with the Halloween Parade up to the Yankee Parking lot. Thanks to all the community members for making this such a treat for the school!
Teachers have been busy in their classrooms now that the beginning-of-year routines are well established. Many amazing lessons are occurring as well as gathering assessment data. This data is vital to identifying each student’s academic needs, which provides teachers with guidance to deliver instruction relevant for each student. This year teachers have been increasing their understanding of what mathematical underpinnings need to be in place for students to continue their success in this subject. Ongoing assessments allow teachers time to fill in any gaps that may exist or offer further instruction to those who have the concepts solidly in place. While it may seem that there is a lot of testing, much of it is administered in short sessions that help teachers do what is necessary for each child to grow.
November will bring many events as well. The first quarter of the school year ends on November 4. Where has the time gone? A new art residency entitled Drumazing will occur the week of November 14. This program, provided by the Arts Enrichment Program, incorporates drumming and physical fitness and will be an awesome experience for our students!
Parent Conferences will be held the week of Thanksgiving. We hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with family, food, and fun! If you ever want to come by and see what is going on at our school, please do so; just please call first!
Nicole Pease, who is in her second year as principal at DCS, is also the SAU1 District Math Coach.
School Board Update
By Bernd Foecking
The school year has been off to a busy and successful start in SAU1.
Over the last month, the board, and the committees I serve on, have been especially focused on the district’s Applied Technology Center program.
John Reitnauer, the director of the Applied Technology Center (ATC), gave an informative presentation on the programs available to high school students. The program presents all CHS students with a variety of opportunities, including taking courses in engineering, teacher education, computer programming and networking, and photography that can lead to credits that are sometimes transferable to college.
The ConVal ATC program works in cooperation with the Jaffrey Rindge School District. The college credit “running start” program operates in cooperation with colleges such as Franklin Pierce University, River Valley Community College, Southern Maine Community College, and Manchester Community College.
One of the major focus areas for the ATC program this year will be to organize a Regional Advisory Committee and a Program Advisory Committee, all in order to improve supervision and cooperation to further expand the reach and the quality of the program. I believe this program can continue to provide further opportunities for students while being a resource for our local business community.
I had a chance to visit our own school here in Dublin in early October for the Open House. The students, teachers, and administration presented themselves as a positive learning community and the Dublin PTO is a small but dedicated group of parents. The PTO would appreciate the help of other DCS parents to continue their great work! The projects and learning methods the students proudly presented were well done and interesting.
My thanks to the PTO and the whole school community for inviting me to Open House as well as to the Harvest Supper on October 21.
Keep in mind that school board meetings are always public and that we appreciate participation and comments by all interested members of the community.
Bernd Foecking is Dublin’s representative to the ConVal School Board, SAU1.
New Director and Program for Dublin Preschool
By Ramona Branch
Last summer the Dublin Community Preschool and Child Care Center Board of Directors approved the development of a new Infant and Toddler Program for children ages six weeks to three years old.
Under the supervision of the center’s new director, Beth LeBlanc, the school expanded its facility by incorporating newly available office space next door.
According to LeBlanc, “We remodeled this new area and outfitted the space with proper equipment making sure we met all state regulations to secure a new license for the program.”
This was a big year for the school, LeBlanc explained. They implemented the Reggio Emelia based curriculum incorporating nature and natural elements in the environment to allow the children to express themselves more creatively. This included getting rid of plastic items and using baskets, branches, and wooden furniture instead.
Two new experiential modalities, nature and music, have been added to the curriculum, LeBlanc pointed out. Twice a month the Harris Center for Conservation Education comes to teach the children about nature, taking them on walks in the forest and nearby streams. Nancy Salwen, a professional music teacher, provides music education through singing and dancing.
A preschool veteran, LeBlanc has an Early Childhood Education Associate Degree and a Liberal Arts Associate Degree from River Valley Community College. She worked at the Harrisville Children’s Center and served for ten years at the Happy Valley Preschool in Peterborough before coming to Dublin.
Beth lives in Peterborough with her husband, James, and two children, son Aida, 17, and daughter Kylie, 15. The family has one dog, two cats and a rabbit.
Ramona Branch is a staff member of The Dublin Advocate.
Students Apply Life Skills at DCA
By Rachel Smitley
Dublin Christian Academy is introducing its 7th-9th grade students to various life skills through short-term workshops throughout this school year. Our plan is for these workshops to cover a variety of life skills such as building a campfire; drywall repair, patching, and painting; changing a tire; First Aid; CPR; and more. These workshops are being taught by some of DCA’s faculty, parents, and friends.
In the government and elections workshop, students learned what is involved in the New Hampshire primary elections, as well as how to cast a vote and what to expect when they go to the polls.
Following a short tutorial, students in the campfire-building workshop were split up into four different groups to canvas the DCA campus to collect the proper tinder, kindling, and fuel to build and start their own fire.
During the next five weeks, the students will be attending an interactive First Aid, CPR, and AED training workshop. Upon completing the course, the students will be certificated in these areas.
Dublin Christian Academy is excited about these new opportunities for our students and how the students will be able to use these skills to further their relationships in the community.
Rachel Smitley is an administrative assistant at Dublin Christian Academy.
Dublin School Runs Reach the Beach for Sixth Year
The Reebok Ragnar Reach the Beach (RTB) Relay is one of the oldest and longest running relay races in the U.S., beginning at Bretton Woods going through the White Mountains and finishing at Hampton Beach State Park.
For the last six years, Dublin School has sent mixed student/faculty teams to run the race. Dublin School is always the youngest team in the race and the only high school to compete. This year, as in most years, Dublin sent two 12-member, four-van teams from the peaks to the sea.
With a total distance of 204 miles, the race takes more than a day to complete. Each runner runs an average of 17 miles. For most of our students, their first RTB is also their first experience running anywhere close to this kind of distance.
The physical challenge is obvious, but what may be less so are the logistical and basic challenges of supporting runners as they cycle in and out of the race. A 12-member team is also a two-van movable feast that must always be racing ahead of the current runner — rehydrating, feeding, and recharging spent runners as they await their next leg. Each van becomes a mini community of sustenance, laughter, exhaustion and cheerleading.
Holly Macy, Dublin resident and Director of College Counseling, is the person who is most responsible for our participation: “a highlight of the year for those of us who have returned to drive/run. Seeing the camaraderie and spirit among the students is a big part of the reward. …I love the personal challenge of the event, but even more, I love to see people work up to the challenge…”.
2nd Annual Vital Signs
Peterborough Town House
November 4, 9 am – 3 pm
Wisdom for your life choices: exhibitors and speakers for all
aging issues; food, activity, long-term care, Medicare, and Alzheimer’s.
Produced by the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.
During the 2016 Art Tour
Photos by Mary Loftis and Margaret Gurney
DCF in its 50th Year
Half a century of making Dublin a better place.
By Rosemary Mack
In 1966 Dublin resident Rob Trowbridge established what was to become the Dublin Community Foundation. The first board included C. Mitchell Wenigmann, Ned Whitney, Albert Rajaniemi, Nellie Crossley, Priscilla McQuillen, and Rob Trowbridge. That summer, residents received a letter explaining the need for this new organization. It read, in part:
“The inspiration and encouragement to organize a foundation such as this stem simply from the love we all have for Dublin. To anyone who knows Dublin, this hill-top town is a very special place. It is an extraordinary combination of an unspoiled, beautiful country town, and a gathering place for leaders in industry, education and the arts…
“Yet of course there are things which it needs, services which it should have, and help it would gladly receive, particularly for its youth. There are also many residents who would like to contribute to worthwhile Dublin projects…but up until now the question has always been “How?” … It was decided to set up a charitable foundation. The Dublin Community Foundation is the result.”
This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of DCF. Since 1966 we have fulfilled the original mission, ensuring that all Dublin children are able to participate in school and community programs.
This past fiscal year alone DCF provided funding to assist Dublin youth in the following programs: Summer Playground, Dublin Community Preschool, Dublin Women’s Club, Children and the Arts, Camp Takodah, and the NH Dance Institute in support of its Dublin participants.
DCS received funding for the new playground, circus and art programs, Cornucopia, the Hats n’ Boots fund, the Science Club and the Learn to Ski Program. Scholarships were also provided for kids attending the Harris Center and Peterborough Art Academy. In addition, DCF contributed to the Dub Hub and the restoration of the Women’s Club Beach. Lastly, we were proud to award a scholarship to graduating senior, Christina Newell.
This hill-top town is a very special place. We would like to express our appreciation to all who have generously supported DCF continually for so many years. Our annual fund drive mailing will be on its way later this month.
We welcome new donors and appreciate contributions of any size. Participation by many is the “engine” of a community foundation such as Dublin’s. If you would like to contribute please pick up a letter and brochure available on the bulletin board in the lobby of the Post Office. We can also be contacted by mail at P.O. Box 1036 or emailed at dublincommunityfoundation@nullgmail.com.
DCF is a private foundation within the meaning of section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Rosemary Mack is president of the DCF, Jane Keough is treasurer, and Jeff Oja is secretary. Connie Cerroni and Tom Warren also serve on the board.
Nonprofits Offering Humanitarian Services in Town
Fifth in the series of nonprofits providing year-round essential care to Dubliners.
By Mary Delisle
Monadnock Family Services (MFS) is proud to continue to serve the children, families, adults and seniors in Dublin and throughout the Monadnock Region. During the past year in Dublin, a total of nine children, nine adults and three seniors were helped by programs at MFS, with services totaling 293 appointments. The discounts provided to your friends and neighbors based on their ability to pay were $10,494.
One resident in particular benefited from the care he received at our Monadnock Adult Care in Jaffrey. “Everyone loved Willie,” says Linda Oja of her husband, who was Dublin’s postmaster for six years (1996-2002). “He had the gift of making anyone he was talking with feel like they were the most important person in the world.”
While at the center, Willie took part in the parties, musicals, games, and outings; always adding his good cheer to every event. The center helped keep him socially connected and mentally engaged. There, Willie “was always smiling, greeting everyone, making everyone feel welcome,” Linda recalls, “it made all the difference for him.”
Other MFS programs offer help with substance abuse and misuse, 24-hour crisis and emergency services, programs for children and families, resources for homelessness, psychiatry, trauma and Veterans therapy, exercise and nutrition, and residential and older adult programs. For additional details about these and other services available at MFS, please visit mfs.org.
We have been supporting our community since 1905 and look forward to continuing to be there for you, your friends and neighbors for years to come. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call 357-4400.
Mary Delisle is Director of Development at Monadnock Family Services, 64 Main St., Suite 201, Keene, NH 03431.
[The Advocate wrote about Mr. Oja in February 2003 and December 1999; the latter article details his retirement from the Post Office. Mr. Oja currently resides in an advanced care facility up north.]
Plaid Friday: Shift Your Shopping Season
Support your locally owned businesses.
By Jen Risley
Monadnock Buy Local invites all locally owned businesses to participate in this year’s Shift Your Shopping (November 1 to December 31). It’s what Plaid Friday is all about: on Friday, November 25, community members show their support for local and independent businesses by wearing plaid.
Businesses are encouraged to connect with their customers and let them know they will be open and celebrating Plaid Friday on November 25. Many business owners ask staff to wear plaid and others offer special deals to their customers to thank them for their loyalty.
Participation is free. Monadnock Buy Local shares promotional materials on its website (monadnocklocal.org) that any business is welcome to adapt and use.
Monadnock Buy Local is a regional network of citizens, businesses, and organizations that promotes the positive economic and community benefits of spending dollars locally, while supporting programs and policies that endorse a local, green, and fair economy.
For details, contact monadnockbuylocal@nullgmail.com or call 603-499-7950.
Jen Risley is Executive Director of Monadnock Buy Local, which is based in Keene.
How the Friendly Farm Came to Be
It has been part of the Dublin landscape since 1964.
By Kate Fox
In the early 1960s Allan Fox and his wife Mary Alice had five children and several animals, including goats, chickens, and rabbits. Allan knew that the animals were a big draw for the children in their Concord, MA, neighborhood. When there was a week off from school the friends of their children would come to their house every day, and Allan saw their wonder and delight when they helped take care of the animals.
The seed of a dream began to germinate. Allan hoped that children, who even in the 1960s were growing up in cities and towns far away from farms, could get a better understanding of what farm life entailed and experience the joys of getting up close and personal with the animals. He wondered if it would be possible to create an educational farm where children could learn about animals and farm life.
Allan and Mary Alice both grew up in Massachusetts. They met as students at the University of Massachusetts after Allan returned from serving in the Army in World War II, and married in July 1948. They were very happy in Concord, but then in 1964 the company Allan was working for wanted to relocate him to New Jersey. He said “No, thank you.” Allan met with a career counselor and the results of his testing and interviews determined that he would be happiest working with people and with animals. The dream of starting the Friendly Farm was born!
Allan took his son Tom with him one day to see if there were any other farms that were doing this within 100 miles of Boston. Through a realtor he looked at a property in Dublin and realized it had distinct possibilities, with a house and barn right on Route 101, and enough land for pastures for the animals. The property was going to be auctioned off in late August in a two-day auction along with several other parcels of land. Soon the Foxes had signed an agreement.
Within two weeks they sold the house in Concord and moved to Dublin just before school started for the three older children.
Allan and Mary Alice wanted to create an educational farm, so the first season they were open they decided not to collect admission but to put out a can marked “Donations.” From the beginning people of all ages were very interested in the farm and they had good attendance that first year. But when they ended up grossing only $900 for the entire season they realized they were going to have to start charging an admission fee! Their children helped out, and by the time the oldest three were all in college, the two youngest were 9 and 11 and had full-time jobs on the farm in the summer.
When Bruce, Mary Alice and Allan’s second child, returned from serving in the Peace Corps in the mid-1970s, he told his parents that he shared their vision of what the farm had become and was interested in taking over the business someday. At first he worked for his parents, but after he married his wife Sylvia and they started their own family, he bought the farm and his parents worked for him. This enabled Mary Alice and Allan to travel in the off-season for the first time since they had started the farm 15 years before. They had many wonderful adventures and met many friends while camping in the United States, Mexico, Central America, South America, Europe and the Middle East over the next 20 years. In their mid-70s they decided to spend their winters in Florida and they retired from their summer work on the farm.
Today, 52 years after moving to Dublin, they are back to living here year round. Mary Alice and Allan now have a new generation of Friendly Farmers: great-grandson Owen and great-granddaughter Noelle who was recently baptized at the Dublin Community Church. I married Mary Alice and Allan’s fourth child, Ken, and we have been lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks in Dublin every summer.
I see people who visited the farm when they were children and who now share the experience with their kids and grandkids!
Joy, delight, and learning about animals and farm life continues to be the driving force of the Friendly Farm today, just as Allan dreamed it would be all those years ago.
Kate Fox lives in St. Louis with her husband Ken and their children. They visit regularly.
In Memoriam: William “Bill” Engle
By Shaun T. McMahon
The Southern New Hampshire Running Community has lost one of its most active and enthusiastic runners: Bill Engle. Bill passed away at his home in Florida on September 7.
You may not have had the pleasure to meet Bill, or run with him, but Bill was one of the good ones. Bill truly lived for running, and ran to live. He loved the sport and worked diligently in promoting the joy of running among members of the community. Bill’s kindness often was expressed to his fellow runners while in the midst of a race. For it was often the case that Bill would finish his run, and then turn around and go back and extend his support to anyone struggling to finish and run in with them.
Bill was a member of several local running clubs, including the Gate City Striders and the Monadnock Regional Milers. He took great pride in serving as the Race Director for the Terry Dwyer Memorial 5K, which took place in his hometown of Dublin for seven years and ran many years himself, after he blew the starting whistle. The race grew in attendance each year, with its final race pulling in 229 runners.
Bill turned 85 on June 6 of this year. Among his many shoe boxes of Bib Numbers and Trophies are more than 35 marathons, numerous half-marathons, and more than 600 assorted 5K, 6K and 10Ks. Whether the race included 1,000 runners or only a handful, he loved them all. He had a lot of personal favorite races, however; one that he treasured the most was “Grandma’s Marathon” in Duluth, MN. He had a personal best there of 3:33:08 at age 60. In addition, he enjoyed and appreciated the welcoming banners and support of the people of Duluth in approaching the finish line.
In addition to running, Bill volunteered countless hours of his time with his lovely wife and running partner Kathy, helping to build homes for those less fortunate in the South with Habitat for Humanity. He also had a fondness for both dogs and cats and would volunteer at many of the local Animal Shelters in Swanzey and Bedford, NH.
It was always heartwarming to see Bill running along Dublin’s back roads with his Springer Spaniel “Dusty” by his side. Bill will be missed.
Shaun T. McMahon is the Founding Member of the Monadnock Regional Milers Running Club, and past President of the Gate City Striders Running Club out of Nashua, NH.
[For an earlier article on the Engles, see June 2012: http://dublinadvocate.com/2012/06/snowbirds-no-more/]
Back Home to Give Back
Jenn Carter drives her hometown school bus route.
By Margaret Gurney
The wheels of the yellow bus parked in Jenn Carter’s driveway get chocked every night, just one of several safety measures ConVal school bus drivers are taught to uphold. But who would have thought Jenn could have been so lucky as to get a job driving school bus in the very same town she grew up in?
When it was time for the younger of Jenn’s two children to take the bus to school, Jenn considered it was time to go back to work. Then one day her son Jacob (now 9 years old) came home with a flyer in his backpack from the bus company seeking school bus drivers.
“The flyer made it clear that school vacations, summer vacations, and holidays were all off,” Jenn beamed, to coincide perfectly for those parents who wish to work what is often referred to as “mother’s hours.”
Jenn and her family recognized that here was something she could do without interrupting family life. So now when she leaves the house at 6:10 am, her children, Jacob and Danika (5 years old), simply hop on for the ride around town with their mother. “They ride with me,” Jenn says, and they all get home together at the same time every day.
Jenn grew up on Boulder Drive as one of Jim and Barbara Sovik’s two daughters. Jenn attended DCS where her mother was librarian; went on to complete both middle and high school in Peterborough; graduated from Keene State College with a degree in Spanish; and after a few stints working out of town, has come back to Dublin with her husband to raise her family and to “give back” to the community she was raised in.
Prior to returning to Dublin, Jenn lived in Ecuador, and worked down south in Atlanta and Tampa in office administration, feeling fortunate to have landed several successful jobs. But after being at home with her own two children for almost 10 years, she felt there might be a lot to catch up on in the office environment. Plus she did not want to send her children to after-school care if she could avoid it.
Jenn says this job is happy medium because she’s a bit of an introvert, making it hard to jump into a big community project. “From here, I interact with families on a daily basis, even twice daily; I get to know the kids one by one. I find I can be part of the community this way.”
She feels being a bus driver is “perfect. I’m happy to do it. I’m serving a purpose, helping out, and it’s benefiting me as well. I like being an essential part of the community.” Since many of her riders are her son’s age, she “already knows a lot of them,” and refers to them as “my kids; they’re all my kids. I have more of an attachment to them than if I was in a different town.”
As for the behavior of the children on the school bus, Jenn says, “The kids are phenomenal. I have no real problems on the bus.”
Jenn figures she’s “very much a local hometown girl. My heart would always be here.” And since she is raising her family in the same home she grew up in, she feels she is giving back to her own community. Her father was a selectman for years, her mother served as our town clerk; and Jenn says her children already have a strong sense of place. “Plus, by living here, my children are close to their grandma and grandpa.”
Margaret Gurney is editor of the Advocate.
November Hub Events
Exercise for Seniors: It’s Never Too Late is a cardio class for seniors and beginners that uses chairs, body weight, and resistance bands to develop strength and improve balance. It will meet on Tuesdays from 11 am to 12 noon, beginning November 1, and is taught by Lynn Heckathorn, who is AFAA certified. Easy movement is incorporated into routines that expand cardio health. Even if it’s been a while since you’ve exercised, or if an exercise program is something you’ve always wanted to start but just haven’t gotten to, this is the class for you.
Two Artists in November: The Dub Hub will feature the work of two young artists during November. Lily Featherston and Claire Lowenthal both grew up in Dublin, attended art school, and moved to “the big city” – Portsmouth and Boston, respectively.
Lily’s work is focused on a close examination of the natural world, often animals and plants. In her artist’s statement she says that she’s “always been attracted of the small details” – the expression of a sheep or the center of a flower, for instance.
Claire, on the other hand, has moved to the urban landscape for inspiration. Her statement says, “From sky-scraping buildings to different modes of public transportation, I am interested in showing different aspects of how I view my surroundings.”
All are welcome to a reception for Lily and Claire to be held on Friday, November 4, from 5 to 7 pm at the Dublin Community Center. Light refreshments will be served.
Student Coffeehouse: Dublin School’s first coffeehouse performance opportunity will be on Friday, November 4, at 7 pm. Coffeehouse performances are an opportunity for solo or small group music performance, dance, poetry reading, etc. This is a great chance to shine under the spotlight as a soloist or have a blast laughing and singing with friends. The DS students are excited for the opportunity for friends, faculty, and staff alike to have fun and share in Dublin! Come and enjoy coffee and treats in a relaxing and joyful environment.
Winning the Gold: Tessa Gobbo, 2016 Olympic Gold medalist, will speak on Saturday, November 5, at 7 pm. Tessa Gobbo is an American Rower from New Hampshire who attended Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts and won the Gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She will be speaking about what it takes to be a high-level athlete and her experiences in the 2016 Olympics. 
In addition to the special events detailed above, see the calendar on the back page of every Advocate for regularly scheduled events happening weekly at the Hub, aka the Dublin Community Center, including Coffee and Conversation, Open Mic, Community Lunch, Zumba, QiGong, Yoga, and more. The Hub is located in the village, between Yankee Publishing and the Dublin Community Church. All are welcome. Call 563-8080 with questions.
Holiday Spectacular Market & Bazaar
On December 3 from 9 am to 5 pm at Vintage Label Co., 1283 Main St. (Rt.101), Dublin, NH, come see more than 40 vendors (5,000 sq ft. building); choose from antiques, vintage, retro, repurposed goods, crafts, jewelry, holiday decor, and more! Enjoy a visit from Santa and Elves from 10 am to 12:30 pm; holiday music will play throughout the market; drop off your Toys for Tots donations. Free entry and parking; and gourmet food/snacks and coffee cart all hosted by Vintage Label Co.; Maria Amarosa, Jonathan Driscoll and team. For details, contact Maria Amarosa at mariaamarosa@nullyahoo.com or call 603-852-3503.
The Wild Turkey
By Tom Warren
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and was a favorite of both Native Americans and the first European settlers. It is non-migratory and we usually observe it on the ground but it can fly short distances. It roosts in trees over water each evening. It is a game bird known to grace our Thanksgiving dinner plate.
It is a large bird with long legs and a large fan-shaped tail. The males have a hanging beard and this is also found on some females.
While we see it often walking beside the road or in fields, it seems to sense the opening of hunting season and becomes very scarce. The turkey was domesticated in Mexico and Central America and became established worldwide. Europeans returned to America with the first colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. More then 400 million turkeys are produced annually on turkey farms.
In the wild, the turkey feeds in the morning for several hours and later in the day flies to its evening roost site.
Foods include seeds of grasses in summer and nuts in the fall when it spends more time in forests. Cracked corn is a favorite in your yard. It is inexpensive food that can be scattered under bird feeders.
The nest is a shallow depression on the ground near a log, usually lined with leaves. Between 8 and 15 eggs are the normal clutch, but occasionally several females will lay eggs in the same nest bringing the total clutch of eggs much higher.
The mating season for wild turkeys takes place in late February and early March in north New England. The male has a courtship “strut” with tail fanned vertically and his wings lowered while attracting females with his gobbling call as he circles one or more females. This is very effective and can be seen in fields.
In the wild, male turkeys take no part in incubation and don’t even know the nest location. At turkey farms males can be encouraged to incubate with a little brandy, which makes them drowsy at which time they are placed on eggs. They hatch in 28 days and the young birds can move around in 24 hours. The female cares for male poults into the autumn and females until next spring. Life span for turkeys is short, generally 1 to 2 years.
The estimated wild population is 4 million. Enjoy this Thanksgiving with your turkey and favorite side dishes!
Tom Warren is Dublin’s resident ornithologist, and serves as a trustee of both the Harris Center and the Audubon Society.
Annual Holiday Stroll in Peterborough
By Karen Keenan
The 23rd Annual Holiday Stroll is on Saturday, November 19, from 9 am to 2 pm. For more than 20 years, the Saturday before Thanksgiving has been the best way to get an early taste of the holiday spirit and kickstart your holiday shopping.
Come and wander between the churches, visit with Santa, feast on baked goods at the Methodist Church, or gourmet cookie platters at Divine Mercy (at the new location on Rte. 101).
You could also take part in the cookie walk at the Unitarian Universalist Church, meet Santa’s Elf at the Serendipity Shop, or decorate your home with berry bowls from the Congregational Church. The Christian Science Church is the hospitality center offering cider and cookies.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Karen Keenan, who lives in Dublin, assists with getting the word out about the Holiday Stroll, an event that has been happening at most of the churches in Peterborough for more than 20 years.
HCS Offers Walk-in Hours at Peterborough Office
Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services (HCS) welcomes residents of Dublin to Walk-in Wednesdays. The first Wednesday of every month, our staff members who specialize in home care, geriatric care planning, and hospice will be on hand to talk with you individually about your specific concerns. Drop by for completely free, off-the-record, no-commitment advice. The next Walk-in Wednesday is scheduled for November 2 from 3 pm to 5 pm at the HCS office in Peterborough, located at 45 Main Street, Suite 316. Those who are not able to stop by are encouraged to call 532-8353 for information anytime.
HCS is a Monadnock United Way agency providing comfort, care and support in southwest New Hampshire communities.
November Highlights from Fish and Game
Walkers stay on trails and wear blaze orange.
By Jane Vachon
Start of firearms deer season on November 9 is a super important date for NH hunters. According to Deer Biologist Dan Bergeron’s deer hunt outlook: “The statewide deer harvest is likely to surpass last year’s total given the extremely mild nature of this past winter.” Find more about deer hunting in NH at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/deer.html
With the start of the major hunting season, walkers will want to stay on established trails and wear blaze orange in November. The newsroom reports that, “Overall, New Hampshire has an excellent record for hunter safety, largely attributable to the state’s effective hunter education programs. The average number of hunting-related incidents per year has gone down each decade since mandatory hunter education classes became required in the 1970s.”
Drivers should be on the lookout for deer in the roads in November, as they are on the move looking for mates: “To reduce the chance of hitting a deer on the road: Be especially cautious when driving at dawn and dusk, when deer are most active. Remember, deer are creatures of habit. If you have seen deer crossing the road in a certain location, slow down and use caution when driving in that area. If you see one deer on the road, keep a sharp eye out for others. If you see a doe, stay alert – her fawns or a rutting buck may be following close behind.”
Jane Vachon handles Public Affairs at NH Fish and Game, 11 Hazen Dr., Concord, NH 03301. She can be reached at Jane.vachon@nullwildlife.nh.gov or by calling 271-5619.
The Sun Sets Earlier Every Day: Conservation Officers from NH Fish and Game remind everyone who ventures outdoors to be prepared for the unexpected: give yourself adequate time to hike, carry essential equipment such as flashlights or headlamps, bring extra layers, and know your physical limitations. Hikers should leave a detailed itinerary with friends or family. Wear blaze orange during hunting season. Address questions to Conservation Officer William Boudreau at NH Fish and Game Dept., Region IV Office, Keene, NH or call 271-3361.